1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a unique combination of ingredients and a process for the preparation of low fat/no fat, reduced calorie salad dressings which mimic the functional properties of fat.
2. The Related Art
Recent trends in the field of salad dressings have been directed to the development of reduced fat or substantially fat-free products which possess a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, as well as a texture and lubricity which approach the texture and mouthfeel of edible fat containing food products. Substantial work has been carried out with bulking agents such as powdered and microcrystalline cellulose in fat-containing and reduced fat food products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,701 and patents cited therein relate to the preparation, or use of various types of cellulose in various food products. Such cellulose materials have been used or proposed for reduced fat or substantially fat-free food products. However, as the fat content is reduced in food products containing substantial levels of cellulose products such as microcrystalline cellulose, adverse organoleptic effects such as undesirable mouthcoating or drying sensations, and a lack of a well-rounded organoleptic sensation corresponding to that provided by conventional fat-containing food products such as viscous and pourable dressings, tend to become more pronounced.
Microcrystalline cellulose has been used in low and reduced calorie food formulations as both a carbohydrate thickening agent and as a fat replacer, with powdered products of relatively large particle size (e.g., 15-90 micrometer length) utilized for carbohydrate reduction and colloidal grades of submicron size being used to reduce fat, generally with the adverse result mentioned above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,701 deals with this problem by a series of at least two high shear operations to insure the long term dispersibility of the microcrystalline cellulose. This is a relatively energy intensive process requiring substantial time and energy to accomplish.
In addition to microcrystalline cellulose, other ingredients have been employed in combination in attempts to produce low fat or no fat dressings. Starch, for example, when used alone may produce a gummy, pasty, chalky dressing with the tendency to block flavor. Further, a dressing using only starch will not have satisfactory pourability.
Heretofore, preparation of a low fat/no fat salad dressing prepared with microcrystalline cellulose yet having excellent fat functional mimetic properties while using relatively low energy processes has not been completely satisfactory.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to overcome one or more of the disadvantages of the art with the accompanying benefit of producing low fat/no fat, reduced calorie salad dressings with the taste and functionality of full fat salad dressings.